FIFA considers holding next Club World Cup in winter

FIFA is having 'crazy' discussions about wanting to move the 2029 Club World Cup to Qatar and hold it in winter.

FIFA has many "crazy" plans for the coming years - Photo: REUTERS

The 2025 Club World Cup, currently taking place in the United States, has faced much criticism regarding its organization. Many argue that players are "exhausted" after a long season. In particular, holding the tournament in the US during the summer has created numerous problems due to the weather.

Extreme heat and thunderstorms have become an unwelcome feature of this year's tournament. Chelsea's victory in the round of 16 against Benfica was halted for nearly two hours with only four minutes left in the match due to a lightning strike near the stadium.

Not only this match, but a number of other encounters were also affected by bad weather, including Benfica vs. Auckland City, Ulsan vs. Mamelodi Sundowns, and Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly.

Faced with these issues, FIFA continues to have bold ideas about the host country for the next tournament. Therefore, Qatar has emerged as a strong contender to host the 2029 Club World Cup.

FIFA wants the next Club World Cup to follow in the footsteps of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar - Photo: REUTERS

According to The Guardian , Qatari officials held discussions with FIFA during the tournament in the US to express their interest.

If successful, the tournament will almost certainly be held in the winter, similar to the 2022 World Cup. This would help avoid the scorching summer heat in the Gulf region.

A huge advantage for Qatar is that all nine stadiums built for the 2022 World Cup remain intact and ready for reuse. This not only significantly reduces infrastructure costs but also minimizes travel for teams and fans.

This is a stark contrast to the tournament in the US, where teams have to fly constantly between 11 host cities.

However, if the 2029 Club World Cup were held in the winter, it would likely face similar controversy to the 2022 World Cup. Tournaments are not easily suspended for an entire month for teams to compete.

Furthermore, holding the event in this Gulf nation continues to raise other issues such as human rights .

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THANH DINH

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/fifa-can-nhac-to-chuc-club-world-cup-tiep-theo-vao-mua-dong-20250630205237981.htm